{"title":"Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Measures","authors":"Amna Aurooj, Syed Khawar Nadeem Kirmani, Takreema Aurooj, Sadia Khan","doi":"10.1007/s12126-025-09593-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-025-09593-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Alzheimer’s disease is increasingly posing a significant challenge in Pakistan due to the rising aging population. Existing assessment methods lack the ability to offer a functional diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease that considers the specific context of Pakistan. This study aimed to create self-reported and informant-oriented functional assessment tools, serving as cost-effective instruments to effectively evaluate and distinguish this condition from typical aging, particularly in the absence of neurological testing or during the early stages of symptoms. The research included both male and female individuals diagnosed clinically with Alzheimer’s disease, aged 65 years and above, selected through purposive sampling. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted on individuals with Alzheimer’s (<i>n</i> = 228) and their respective informants (<i>n</i> = 228) alongside the establishment of psychometric properties. The outcomes revealed the underlying factorial structure of the Functional Assessment Scale for Alzheimer’s disease and its Informant version. This study introduced two locally developed assessment tools that can aid in distinguishing between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease, while also assessing the severity of symptoms as reflected in daily life activities especially religious practices underpinning the cultural nuances of Pakistan. The study could aid in the development of culturally relevant neurorehabilitation intervention models.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143716743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Association between Neighborhood Deprivation and Social Cohesion among Indian Older Adults: New Evidence from LASI","authors":"Angana Debnath, T.V. Sekher, Arup Jana","doi":"10.1007/s12126-025-09592-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-025-09592-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and social cohesion among older individuals in India. The research used data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India Wave-1 (2017–18), which included a substantial sample of 31,646 older adults. Bivariate and binary logistic regression analyses were employed to examine the association between neighborhood deprivation and social cohesion while accounting for potential confounders. The results indicate that 60.69% of older adults in India reported high social cohesion. Among the participants, 47% of those with low neighborhood deprivation reported high social cohesion. Married older adults reported higher social cohesion (59.9%) compared to widowed individuals (52.4%). Additionally, older adults living in urban areas had higher odds of reporting high social cohesion (aOR: 1.19; CI: 1.11–1.27) compared to those in rural areas. Interestingly, older adults living alone had lower odds of high social cohesion than those living with others (aOR: 0.74; CI: 0.63–0.86). Regional differences were also observed. Older adults residing in the West (aOR: 1.75; CI: 1.59–1.93), North-East (aOR: 1.45; CI: 1.30–1.61), and South (aOR: 1.19; CI: 1.09–1.29) regions of India had higher odds of high social cohesion compared to those in the Northern region. This study provides valuable insights into the determinants of social cohesion among older individuals in India. It highlights the interconnected nature of economic, demographic, and health-related factors in shaping social bonds.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143430882","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katinka E. Pani-Harreman, Gerrie J. J. W. Bours, Michel H. M. C. Bleijlevens, Gertrudis J. I. M. Kempen, Sandra G. M. Zwakhalen, Joop A. M. Van Duren
{"title":"Towards Consensus According to Experts on the Theorised Contribution of Vital Communities to Successful Ageing in Place: a Modified Delphi Study","authors":"Katinka E. Pani-Harreman, Gerrie J. J. W. Bours, Michel H. M. C. Bleijlevens, Gertrudis J. I. M. Kempen, Sandra G. M. Zwakhalen, Joop A. M. Van Duren","doi":"10.1007/s12126-025-09589-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-025-09589-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Older people value their independence and prefer to live in an environment they are familiar with and can benefit substantially from vital communities. The objective of this study is to examine the theorised contribution of vital communities to successful ageing in place, as increasing numbers of older people in western societies, are living longer independently at home, while their need for support gradually increases. A modified Delphi study was conducted and consisted of two stages. In the first stage, we conducted two panel discussions in order to develop statements representing the theorised contribution of the features of vital communities to the key themes of ageing in place. This was followed by the second stage which had three online Delphi rounds, and which aimed to reach a consensus among 126 international experts concerning the theorised contribution. The findings of this study showed a consensus among the experts about aspects that show the positive contribution with regard to the aim of vital communities (quality of life, belonging), and all the key themes of ageing in place (place, technology, social networks, support, personal characteristics). However, experts nuanced the theorised contribution of the mechanisms and typical characteristics of vital communities and the key theme of technology. According to the experts, whether technology contribute depends on the skills of older people and the type of technology. The findings of this study imply that vital communities could facilitate older people to age in place for as long as possible, while maintaining their quality of life.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12126-025-09589-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143396599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of COVID-19: Hopelessness and Death Anxiety in Patients Aged 65 and Over","authors":"Cemal Özalp, Gülçin Avşar, Suna Soğucak","doi":"10.1007/s12126-024-09588-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-024-09588-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>It is thought that age is an important factor in hopelessness and death anxiety, particularly in older adults during an epidemic disease like COVID-19, where death rates are high. This study was conducted to examine hopelessness and death anxiety in patients aged 65 and over who were diagnosed with COVID-19. The study was conducted between March and April 2021 in a pandemic hospital specially designated to combat the COVID-19 outbreak, with 100 patients who agreed to participate in the study. Personal information form, Beck hopelessness scale and Death anxiety scale were used to collect data. The mean Beck Hopelessness score of the patients was 6.57 ± 3.085 and the mean Death Anxiety Scale was 9.16 ± 2.242. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of Beck hopelessness and education level (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and between the mean scores of Beck hopelessness and age (<i>p</i> = 0.037) of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who are aged 65 and over. In addition, a statistically significant difference was found between the ages of the patients and their mean scores on the death anxiety scale (<i>p</i> = 0.023), and between the mean scores of the death anxiety scale and the condition of having a chronic disease (<i>p</i> = 0.001). In the light of the obtained data, certain social services can be put into practice to reduce/prevent the affection of the epidemic on older adults people.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143396600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Self-Reported Cognitive Difficulty among Older Adults: Evidence from New York City","authors":"Ethan Siu Leung Cheung, Jinyu Liu","doi":"10.1007/s12126-025-09591-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-025-09591-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study examined racial and ethnic disparities in self-reported cognitive difficulty among older adults in New York City and whether physical health, family structure, and individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) partially accounted for the association between race and ethnicity and self-reported cognitive difficulty. This study merged data from the American Community Survey 2019 and New York City Community District Profiles. Cognitive difficulty was measured by a dichotomous variable indicating whether a respondent self-reported having cognitive difficulty. Multilevel logistic regressions were used to examine the research questions. Results suggested that Latinos/Hispanics had the highest odds of reporting cognitive difficulty across groups. Physical health and individual SES were common attributes linked to disparities among Latinos/Hispanics and Blacks compared to Whites. Neighborhood SES contributed to the disparity for Latinos/Hispanics, whereas family structure was a unique attribute for Blacks. No significant factor was identified for disparities between Asians and Whites. Our findings shed light on intervention directions to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in cognitive difficulty.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143107894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Physical Activity Reduces the Incidence of Sarcopenia in Middle-Aged Adults","authors":"Jin Luo, Raymond Y. W. Lee","doi":"10.1007/s12126-025-09590-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-025-09590-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose of the Research</h3><p>The aim of this study was to investigate associations between physical activity and risk of sarcopenia in middle-aged adults.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>This was a longitudinal study based on a subset of UK Biobank data consisting of 1,918 participants (902 men and 1,016 women, mean age 56 years) who had no sarcopenia at baseline based on the criteria of European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2). The participants were assessed again after 6 years at follow-up, and were categorized into no sarcopenia, probable sarcopenia, or sarcopenia using EWGSOP2. Physical activity was assessed at baseline using 7-day acceleration data that were analysed to obtain physical activity dose at different intensities. Multinominal logistic regression was employed to examine the association between the incidence of sarcopenia and physical activity dose, between baseline and follow up, controlled for other factors at baseline including age, sex, BMI, smoking status, intake of alcohol, vitamin D and calcium, history of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, secondary osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Among the 1918 participants with no sarcopenia at baseline, 230 (69 men and 161 women) developed probable sarcopenia and 37 (14 men and 23 women) developed sarcopenia at follow-up. Logistic regression models showed that increase in physical activity dose at moderate-to-vigorous intensity significantly reduced the risk of sarcopenia (odds ratio=0.368, <i>p</i><0.05), but not probable sarcopenia (odds ratio=0.974, <i>p</i>>0.05), while physical activity dose at light or very light activity intensity were not associated with the risk of sarcopenia or probable sarcopenia (<i>p</i>>0.05).</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Physical activity at moderate-to-vigorous intensity could reduce risk of sarcopenia in middle-aged adults.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12126-025-09590-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143107895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Financial and Emotional Burden of Caregiving on Informal Caregivers of Geriatric Patients at a Tertiary Healthcare Facility in Ibadan, Nigeria","authors":"Mosadoluwa Aanuoluwapo Ariyo, Mojisola Morenike Oluwasanu, Yetunde Olufisayo John-Akinola","doi":"10.1007/s12126-024-09575-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-024-09575-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142906029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Serap Tuna, Fatih Özden, İsmet Tümtürk, Ramazan Dovan
{"title":"The Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Discrimination, Attitudes, Empathy and body Perception towards Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial","authors":"Serap Tuna, Fatih Özden, İsmet Tümtürk, Ramazan Dovan","doi":"10.1007/s12126-024-09587-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-024-09587-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>No other studies have investigated the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on discrimination, attitudes, empathy, and body perception toward older adults. The study aimed to investigate the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on discrimination, attitudes, empathy, and body perception in older care students. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted with a total of 53 older adult care students. Participants were randomized to the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Group (CBTG) (n: 25) and Control Group (CG) (n: 28). Participants in the CBTG group received a four-module training on discrimination, attitudes, empathy, and body perception in terms of older care. Individuals were assessed before and after the intervention with the Ageism Attitude Scale (ADAS), the Kogan Scale of Attitudes Toward Older People (KAOP), and the Children’s Cognitive, Affective and Somatic Empathy Scales (CASES). A significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the KAOP score (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The KAOP score of CBTG increased significantly after the intervention (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In addition, a significant improvement was observed in the ADAS (Negative discrimination towards older adults) score of the individuals in the intervention group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The ADAS-negative discrimination score of the individuals in the CBTG group was higher than the control group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Cognitive-behavioral training improved students’ attitudes toward older adults and negative discrimination. CBT is an effective method for improving discrimination and attitudes towards older adults.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12126-024-09587-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142890500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Goran Slivšek, Vesna Bišof, Tanja Ćorić, Branko Kolarić, Spomenka Tomek-Roksandić, Željka Celinšćak, Maja Šetinc, Tatjana Škarić-Jurić
{"title":"Functional Ability and Survival of the Care Homes Residents Aged 85+: Ten-year Follow-up Study","authors":"Goran Slivšek, Vesna Bišof, Tanja Ćorić, Branko Kolarić, Spomenka Tomek-Roksandić, Željka Celinšćak, Maja Šetinc, Tatjana Škarić-Jurić","doi":"10.1007/s12126-024-09586-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-024-09586-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Maintaining functional ability is an essential prerequisite for healthy ageing and might be of critical importance for reaping the benefits of lifespan extension. This study aims to explore the relationship between functional ability and survival in the Croatian older adults aged 85 years and over. Study included 250 residents of 11 public long-term care facilities whose mobility and independence were followed-up during a ten-year period. The relation of functional ability to lifespan was explored by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression. From the time of initial interview, the study participants lived on average 4.4 years (full range being 12 years), and less than one year elapsed from the beginning of immobility or dependence until death. Mean age at death was 92.5 years, while the average age at the beginning of immobility or dependence was 91.6 years. The survival was related to their level of mobility and independence, with longer survival being attributed to women. Nevertheless, a lower proportion of men were at the end of their life completely dependent on other people’s care. The main two findings of this study are: (a) the levels of mobility and independence, as well as gender, are independent predictors of the number of surviving years for the 85 + aged care homes residents; and (b) they are, on average, completely dependent on professional care for a very short time period until their death. The presented evidence could bring valuable information for social and healthcare planning, and impact everyday gerontologic and geriatric practice.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142810848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Karina Sofia Lastre Meza, Ricardo Allegri, Ernesto Barceló
{"title":"Instruments and Measurement Scales for Cognitive Frailty in Midlife: A Systematic Literature Review from 2013 to 2023","authors":"Karina Sofia Lastre Meza, Ricardo Allegri, Ernesto Barceló","doi":"10.1007/s12126-024-09585-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12126-024-09585-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study is a systematic review addressing cognitive frailty, measurement instruments, and their impact on comprehensive care for older adults between 2013 and 2023. It seeks to identify findings on the distribution of studies in relation to year, country of publication, and methodology employed, as well as the instruments available to measure cognitive frailty and the scientific evidence supporting its assessment in midlife. We included studies published between 2013 and 2023 that addressed the topic of cognitive frailty and measurement instruments in midlife, excluding papers that did not provide primary data. A systematic search was performed in Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. Twenty-one studies were identified, of which three presented new instruments for measuring cognitive frailty, eleven focused on the validation and comparison of psychometric properties, and seven examined the assessment of frailty in midlife. Research on instruments for measuring cognitive frailty has grown in the last five years, concentrating on high- and upper-middle-income countries, with a quantitative and cross-sectional methodological approach. Validation and cross-cultural adaptation of scales such as FRAIL and the Tilburg Frailty Indicator predominate, demonstrating efficacy and validity in community settings. Only three studies validate Frailty Indices using longitudinal data in middle-aged population. The review highlights the efficacy and validity of existing instruments, as well as the growth in cognitive frailty research. Strengths include growing research and instrument validation; however, it is limited to high- and upper-middle-income countries. The review suggests increased attention to cognitive frailty, with new instruments incorporating cognitive components, which could improve assessment in midlife.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12126-024-09585-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142798267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}